Water cooler bubbler assembly

ABSTRACT

The assembly includes a one-piece, hollow plastic outer shell which receives a plastic inner core having a chamber to receive a standard cartridge valve. The core has attached thereto a cartridge valve retainer plate with a projecting lug to which is attached a pushbutton operator received in a pushbutton opening in the outer shell. The inner core also has a dispensing chamber into which is threaded a dispensing nozzle from exteriorly of the shell to hold the inner core in its proper position in the outer shell. The arrangement accommodates linking the pushbutton to a foot pedal operator.

United States Patent n91 Grimes et al.

[ 5] Nov. 25, 1975 l l WATER COOLER BUBBLER ASSEMBLY [75] inventors: Stephen L. Grimes; jerry M. Rainey,

both of Columbus, Ohio [73] Assignee: White-Westinghouse Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio 221 Filed: Feb. 20, 1975 211 Appl. No.: 551,561

[52] US. Cl. 239/24; 239/29 [51] Int. Cl. E03B 9/20 [58] Field of Search 239/24, 28, 29; 62/391 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,279,495 10/1966 Taylor 239/29 3,329,345 7/1967 Scott 239/24 3,554,446 1/1971 Castillo et al 239/24 Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Strauch, Nolan, Neale, Nies & Kurz [57] ABSTRACT The assembly includes a one-piece, hollow plastic outer shell which receives a plastic inner core having a chamber to receive a standard cartridge valve. The core has attached thereto a cartridge valve retainer plate with a projecting lug to which is attached a push button operator received in a pushbutton opening in the outer shell. The inner core also has a dispensing chamber into which is threaded a dispensing nozzle from exteriorly of the shell to hold the inner core in its proper position in the outer shell. The arrangement accommodates linking the pushbutton to a foot pedal operator.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 3,921,903

WATER COOLER BUBBLER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention pertains to the art of water cooler bubbler assembly constructions.

2. Description of the Prior Art U.S. Pat. No. 3,329,345 discloses a bubbler assembly which has been generally satisfactory but which is relatively expensive in that the arrangement basically dicates that the parts be of heavy cast metal. An aim of the invention is to provide a bubbler assembly which is functionally the equivalent of the patented construction but is relatively less expensive to make.

Additional U.S. patents of which we are aware and which have constructions similar to a degree to the present invention are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,567,121 and 3,554,446. With respect to each of these patents it is our view that the present invention is superior in various respects, such as fewer parts, ease of assembly,

lower cost, and ease of servicing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with our invention the water bubbler assembly comprises a one-piece, hollow plastic outer shell having a dispensing nozzle opening and an opening for receiving a pushbutton operator; a plastic inner core which includes an internally-threaded, downwardly open bore for receiving the outlet end of a sup- 1 and which is subject to having splashed water run down the shell to it, is undercut or tapered as at 29 to prevent migration of such water in under the shell.

The main parts of the inner core 30 (FIG. 1) include an internally-threaded, downwardly open bore 32 which receives the outlet end of supply pipe 34, a cartridge valve chamber 36 in communication with the bore 32 through the passage 38, and a nozzle dispensing chamber 40 in communication with the cartridge chamber through the passage 42. The dispensing chamber 40 has a molded-in insert 44 which is internally threaded to receive the metal dispensing nozzle 22.

The inner core 30 is formed by an injection molding process using a material recognized by the FDA. as being safe for contact with drinking water, such as a I celcon material. During the molding operation the four secured by four screws 52 turned into the screw bosses biasing the operator means toward a valve closed position and urging the pushbutton portion into the pushbutton opening; and a dispensing nozzle porjecting through the nozzle opening and into the nozzle chamber to secure the core to the shell.

DESCRIPTION'OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, partly broken, side view, mostly in vertical section, of the bubbler assembly; and FIG. 2 is an auxiliary view of the inner core projected on a plane paralleling the diagonal top face of the inner core.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 46. The center of the retaining plate has an opening through which the valve actuator 56 projects and is biased upwardly to a valve closed position by the spring 58. The retainer plate is made from stainless steel sheet and has an upwardly projecting lug 60 to which is fas tened the operator means 62 by a shouldered screw 64. A dished spring washer 65 is captured in the space between the lug and operator means, and holds the operator means in its proper position relative to the shell and yields to permit pivoting of the operator means when the pushbutton is depressed. The operator means includes the integral pushbutton portion 18 which is received in the pushbutton opening 16 of the outer shell. The operator means also includes a camming portion 66 which is positioned adjacent the valve actuator and forces the valve actuator in a valve opening direction when the pushbutton 18 is depressed. The operator means also includes an opening 68 in its portion distal from the lug'attachment location to receive a hooked end of a wire link 70. The link 70 extends down through an opening in the raised portion of the basin for linking with a remote foot pedal operator through additional linkage not shown.

- into its threaded engagement with the insert44 that the guard portion 26. The bottom rim of the shell includes an obliquely directed locking lug 28, as seen at the right 'of FIG. 1, which engages with the basin 14 to prevent rotation of the shell after the bubbler is installed on the basin. The portion of the bottom rim to the left of FIG.

inner core is held in its proper location within the outer shell. Thus to disassemble the inner core from the outer shell only requires disengaging the dispensing nozzle.

With the inner core secured within the shell, the lug I portion of the retainer plate supports the operator means with the pushbutton portion 18 properly located in the pushbotton receiving opening 16 of the outer shell 10. However, the yieldable connection of the lug portion 60 to the operator means permits the operator means 62 to pivot downwardly when the pushbutton portion 18 is pressed, with the camming portion 66 engaging the valve actuator 56 and thus moving the valve toward a valve opening position. The spring 58 serves to return the valve actuator and the valve operator means to its initial position upon release of the pushbotton 18.

We claim:

1. A water bubbler assembly, comprising:

a one-piece, hollow, plastic outer shell including a dispensing nozzle opening, and an opening for receiving a pushbotton therein;

a plastic inner core including an internally-threaded, downwardly open bore for receiving the outlet end of the supply pipe, a cartridge valve chamber in communication with said bore and receiving a cartridge valve therein, and a dispensing nozzle chamber in communication with said valve chamber;

a one-piece retainer plate secured to said core to hold said cartridge valve in its chambers and having a projecting lug;

operator means carried by said lug and movable toward and away from said valve for controlling the operation of said valve, said operator means including an integral pushbutton portion received in said pushbutton openings;

operator means. 

1. A water bubbler assembly, comprising: a one-piece, hollow, plastic outer shell including a dispensing nozzle opening, and an opening for receiving a pushbotton therein; a plastic inner core including an internally-threaded, downwardly open bore for receiving the outlet end of the supply pipe, a cartridge valve chamber in communication with said bore and receiving a cartridge valve therein, and a dispensing nozzle chamber in cOmmunication with said valve chamber; a one-piece retainer plate secured to said core to hold said cartridge valve in its chambers and having a projecting lug; operator means carried by said lug and movable toward and away from said valve for controlling the operation of said valve, said operator means including an integral pushbutton portion received in said pushbutton openings; means biasing said operator means toward a valve closed position and in a direction to urge said pushbutton portion toward said pushbutton opening; and a dispensing nozzle projecting through said nozzle opening and into said nozzle chamber to secure said core to said shell.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1 including: lug means projecting from the bottom rim of said shell for engagement with a basin upon which said bubbler is located to prevent rotation of said shell on said basin.
 3. An assembly according to claim 1 including: link means for remote operation connected to said operator means. 